Hoop



April 17, 1934. R. G. HIERs ET AL 1,955,330

HOOP

Filed June 20, 1933 BYM Pf/ H //ERJ 4.44@ v- M ATToRlvElas` Patented Apr. 17, 1934 l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOOP Ralph G. Hiers and Ralph H. Hiers, Granville, Mass., assignors to Noble & Cooley Co., Granville, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application June 20, 1933, Serial No. 676,614

4 Claims. (Cl. 272-85) The commercial production of playing hoops the annulus of a plurality of segments having for children has long been attended by considerone end of each section reduced in size, as at 14, able diiiiculty. The hoops of the market have so as to telescope within the end of the adjacent been divided into two classes, those of good qualisection. This segmental method of forming the i ty selling at retail at about one dollar, and the annulus permits the channel sections to be formed 60 cheaper hoops intended for distribution in the by a punching operation much more readily than 5, & 1 stores. These latter hoops have been were a complete annulus to be made. It has the unsatisfactory in their resilience, strength, and further advantage that the several segments may ability to preserve their shape. No satisfactory be made of strips of metal which may be lacquered 10 way of bridging the gap between the high priced or otherwise colored while in flat form, thus per- 65 hoops and the unsatisfactory ones sold at cheap mitting a division of the hoop into segments of prices has hitherto been found. different color without the necessity of subject- In accordance with the present invention a ing the Complete hOOD tOaDy delicate painting 0phoop may be constructed at a suiiiciently low cost cratOn. to permit retailing in low or medium priced stores, What we claim is: 70 with a quality substantially equal to that possessed 1. A childs rolling hOOp COmDl'iSHg a Segby the former higher priced articles. In parmental annulus of metal, channel formed in ticular a hoop construction in accordance with cross-section and with incurved edges, the ends this invention will keep its truly circular shape of the segments being telescoped together, and much longer than any low priced hoop heretofore a filler located in the channel and held in place 75 made. The hoops constructed in accordance with by Said incurved edges. this invention are likewise more readily controlled 2. A ChildS lllirlg hOOD COIIIDIiSing a metal in their elasticity than has heretofore been pos- .annulus, channel formed towards its inner pesible. In addition to these features, the improved riphely, and haVIlg the edges 0f the Channel hoops lend themselves to particularly distinctive curved inwardly and towards each other to form 80 decoration at a low cost. smooth edges and to give lateral and circum- The invention will now be described in conferential stability to the annulus and finally nection with the accompanying drawing, in curved towards the body of the annulus to rein- Which: force it and to control its resilience. Fig. 1 is aperspective View of ahoop construct- 3. A childs rolling hoop comprising a metal S ed in accordance with the invention; annulus, channel formed towards its inner pe- Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and riphery, and having the edges of the channel in- Fig. 3 is a perspective detail on an enlarged scale curved to form smooth edges and to give lateral of a fragment of the inner periphery of the hoop. and circumferential stability to the annulus, and

The body of the hoop is made up of a metal a ller extending around the channel and held 90 annulus 10 having its sides 11 formed in generally in place by the incurved edges thereof. channel shape open toward the inside of the hoop 4. A childs rolling hoop comprising a segmental and rolled over or incurved as at 12, so as to avoid annulus of metal, channel formed in cross section the presence of sharp corners. This construction and with incurved edges, the ends of the segalso gives a substantial lateral and circumferenments being telescoped together, and a ller of 95 tial stability to the hoop. Within the channel resilient wood located in the channel and held is placed an annular filler 13 which is preferably in place by said incurved edges. formed of wood or other material which adds to the resilience of the complete hoop. This filler ,l5 is held in position by the incurved sides 12 of the 100 channel. The filler may be made as a single complete annulus or may be made in sections; the latter construction being substantially less eX- pensive where the filler is made of wood. Due to the reciprocal reinforcing effect of the metal 105 and wood, the resilient qualities of the hoop are not substantially different Whether a single or a sectional filler is used.

It is preferable for several reasons, of which 5 the main one is economy in manufacture, to form 110 

